I’m not sure where I stand on this issue. I may need more sunlight...

The past, present and future will never be perfect. The statue is also a reminder of how far we’ve come. Not sure it’s a good idea to remove parts of history. We are a sum of our parts, ever evolving.

An additional problem, who decides what history is? I have seen many false stories and comments about Christopher Columbus, for example, that too many believe to be true. Saying that, it is bad enough when government removes statues, but to allow mobs to illegally destroy public and private property is beyond comprehension.

Excellent Blog

We need to see our history or we are destined to repeat it. I agree that times are changing. And context is important. I agree that many of the statues celebrating Confederate generals might be better situated in museums about the Civil War, much like Nazi memorabilia is appropriately preserved in Holocaust Museums to remind us of the horrors of that regime, for example. Not sure I agree with the violent destruction of property by arbitrary groups without debate, education or regulation. (What is the justification for removing statues of abolitionists or generals from the north who fought to abolish slavery?) It reminds me of Afghanistan, Syria, and frankly, 1984. we need to understand where we came from in order to do better. Condi Rice acknowledged this when she said that our nation was great, although we had a “birth defect“. Right now, I am scared we may kill the patient.

I agree with Carly. We have a sorted past and likely will have a sorted future. I am not happy with the removal of statues as it was our history and whether good or bad, it happened and should be explained and remembered. Taking down our past references just removes the past as if it never happened. Is that really the point?

The reality of humanity is that Everyone sees symbols differently. As students of history know, the victors and the conquerors have been able to shape the events to their desires.
But, in the era of High Tech, everything has changed forever. Everything is out there to be seen. But, even so, as Fred Klein mentioned in his blog on Rashomon, people's views on what they see is based on what they want to see!

Tearing down without building up is simply destruction. How many of us have walked past that statue and didn't think anything of it? How many might have been impacted subconsciously? Perhaps the solution is what Victoria suggests, that these works of art be kept in exhibits that describe them in context and impact. Like any work of art, sculptures are wonderful teaching tools. They offer an opportunity for people to pause, reflect, and perhaps grow. Tearing them down won't really change anything but taking a real close look just might.